Pan Pacific 2006 Swimming Championships

Wow- lotsa wedgies even without the estimable Ms. Beard. Sat through heats & finals today (Fri) and the place was jumping. Hansen looked lethargic on his first lap of 100brst, picked up last half when Rickard was at his shoulder at 75m mark, did 59.9. Women's 100brst saw the 'B' finalist winner (Jessica Hardy) smoke the winning time from the 'A' flight, another weirdity of a strange qualifying process for finals. Crowd went went wild when Brent Hayden touched out Lezak for 100free with a 48.69; Coughlin looked very tough in her winning 100free & I swear would have clobbered the world record if she hadn't tightened up the last few strokes. Tara Kirk seemed to cruise the 400IM, taking it out slower than she has in the past, coming home very strongly and Phelps did just a routine 4:10 in his event (his breastroke is getting better and better). Random obervations: believe it or not, at this level, I saw more than one swimmer swim circles rather than a straight line (and I don't mean just a little bit, or attempt to draft). Saw much less of the single dolphin kick on the breastroke than I expected; some swimmers seem to be sticking it amid their bubbles from their dive rather than with their pullout. Gary Hall was singlehandedly getting the American swimmers involved in their compatriot's races; leading cheers, yelling congrats after swims etc. When the officials were led ceremoniously into the pool tonight, some wag played "Who let the dogs out?" on PA... I am very tired, had two hour drive home after finals ended. Rowdy seemed to get to the NBC booth late, after a swim during warmups, they put a shirt on him, but as far as I could tell he was wearing his wet trunks still while on air... Met the father of Jessica Hardy, had a good chat with him that caused me to watch his daughter's swims very closely...watch out, Lethal Liesel. More after finals Sunday.

Wow- lotsa wedgies even without the estimable Ms. Beard. Sat through heats & finals today (Fri) and the place was jumping. Hansen looked lethargic on his first lap of 100brst, picked up last half when Rickard was at his shoulder at 75m mark, did 59.9. Women's 100brst saw the 'B' finalist winner (Jessica Hardy) smoke the winning time from the 'A' flight, another weirdity of a strange qualifying process for finals. Crowd went went wild when Brent Hayden touched out Lezak for 100free with a 48.69; Coughlin looked very tough in her winning 100free & I swear would have clobbered the world record if she hadn't tightened up the last few strokes. Tara Kirk seemed to cruise the 400IM, taking it out slower than she has in the past, coming home very strongly and Phelps did just a routine 4:10 in his event (his breastroke is getting better and better). Random obervations: believe it or not, at this level, I saw more than one swimmer swim circles rather than a straight line (and I don't mean just a little bit, or attempt to draft). Saw much less of the single dolphin kick on the breastroke than I expected; some swimmers seem to be sticking it amid their bubbles from their dive rather than with their pullout. Gary Hall was singlehandedly getting the American swimmers involved in their compatriot's races; leading cheers, yelling congrats after swims etc. When the officials were led ceremoniously into the pool tonight, some wag played "Who let the dogs out?" on PA... I am very tired, had two hour drive home after finals ended. Rowdy seemed to get to the NBC booth late, after a swim during warmups, they put a shirt on him, but as far as I could tell he was wearing his wet trunks still while on air... Met the father of Jessica Hardy, had a good chat with him that caused me to watch his daughter's swims very closely...watch out, Lethal Liesel. More after finals Sunday.